Traction-lending contrivance.



-C. R. WILLIAMS.

TRACTION LENDING CONTRIVANCE.

ABPLlcATwN FILED SEPT. 10. 1914.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

VIt

laa

struction.

CHESTER R. WILLIAMS, OF BEDFORD, OHIO.

reaction-tannins, courait/"Auen 'Spccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, i915..

Application led'September 10, T914. `Seria1l\To.861,147.

To all fur/mm it mayrconcem Be it lrnown that I, CHESTER R. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bedford, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented 4a new and useful Improvement in Traction-Lending `Gon- -trivances, of whichthe following is a Aspecification, the principle ofthe invention bein-g herein explained and the best mode `i-n which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from "other inventions.

My invention relates broadly to :a contrivance capable of establishing traction for a vehicle.

More particularly its purpose is to furnish a traction effect in aid of automobiles whose tires are not otherwise enabled to have a sustained bite upon a given road surface.

I have had asan incidental object the provision of a con'trivance which embraces the Vfollowing features: l. Efficiency in operation. 2. Standardized comlp'onent parts. 3. Simplicity, durability and economy 'of con- Ll. Extreme compactness when disassembled. 5. Facility `of assemblage. 6. Reversibililty in function to suit conditions. 7. Adaptability of one of its parts to a distinct use in conjunction with a tool found in all motor vehicle equipments.

The inventive conception is associated with means which are hereinafter explained and variously combined in the claims.

While the annexed drawing and particular description thereof, set forth the preferred and Imodied form-embodying my in vention, it should be understood that the means only exemplify some *of many diversied mechanical forms with which the `principle of my invention Amay be properly applied.

Figure I is a 4plan of the preferred 'form of one part of my invention. Fig. II 'is a section Von line II-II of Fig. I. Fig. III is a plan of a complete embodiment assembled for use. Fig. IV is a section -on line IV-IV of Fig. III. Fig. V is a plan of a modified assemblage of the several elements fea-turing my idea. Fig. VI is a section on line VI-VI of FigV. VF ig. VII is 'a planof a graded roadway showing the application of my invention to a specific hindering condition. Fig. VIII is 'a vertical section on line VIIImVIII `of Fig. VII,

viewed in the direction indicated. Fig. IX

a similar View illustrating the ladaptability of my invention to a ltraction dilliculty of a different character. Fig. X is a vertical section on line Xia-X of Fig. IX looking Ain the direction of the arrows.

.The .principal part of my invention conone pair of 'oppositely ridges as :5. In corrugated sheets of standf 'ard manufacture .those edges which are par- :allel with vthe direction of :extent of the corrugations lare always :arranged to be in sub- -stantially the same plane `and for my Ipurpose .such :edges will `be considered as dis- .posed below, as `suggested in Figs. I and II. Each :of the four corners of the ,plate l, is provided with an opening 6.

In practice .I contemplate the use of a plulralityfof plates of similar formso that when Aseparate they may be superimposed and transported together as a small package. The plates `are to fbe secured .together end to end in any suitable `manner though prefer- -ably so as to constitute together a flexible composite whole. Such an attachment may be accomplished by interlacing Aa wire rope 7 through Aa .series :of openings 6 alined so :that different pairs register. The ends of the rope 7 may, if found necessary, be secured :to the ground `by means 5of long spikes '8. .It will fbe seen that Figs. III and IV show :a series o-f plates l Vassembled so that the corrugati'ons run lengthwise whereas FigsfV and VI show the'corrugations eX- tending crosswise with reference tothe combined extent.

For the exemplifying purpose required here, I have illustrated two distinct kinds of traction difliculties which my invention efkfectually overcomes.

A Directingattention then next to Figs. VII and VIII which illustrate the mode 4of utilizing .the assembled formation of Figs. III Vand IV, it will be `assumed that a lgraded roadway 9 having gutters l0 has `alforded such poor traction as to vcause the rear end of an automobile chassis 1l to skid and swing down toward one of the gutters 10. The front wheels 12 are readily maintained the position shown.

upon the upper portion of the roadway, but the hind wheels 13 will have been carried down by the momentum ofthe vehicle into Under such circumstances my contrivance may be speedily assembled according to Fig. IH and lain under the lowest hind wheel so as to extend diagonally upward toward the center of the road. The wheel is thereby furnished traction and precluded of lateral skidding while ascending because of its engagement with the pair of continuous ridges between which it tends to wedge itself. The forward end of my contrivance employed in this wise is seen to be secured to the ground through the agency of the free ends of the rope 7 and spikes 8. The plates themselves of course grip the soil and the rear edges 3 tend to retard lengthwise movement. Preparatory to placing the rear end of my inventive construction under a wheel, one of the plates well serves as a base for a lifting jack.

AThe views depicted by Figs. IX and X disclose the manner of employing my invention on another road lelin case one or more wheels have settled in a rut 15 which offers no traction. Recourse is then had to the other mode of connecting after the manner of Fig. V. The flexibility of the whole permits it readily to conform to the forward slope of the rut and thereafter the wheel to climb from one corrugation to another.

I claim l. A traction-lending contrivance comprising a plurality of plates having both sides corrugated, each of said plates being provided with a number of openings, andA means for connecting different combinations of said openings for the purpose specified.

2. A traction-lending contrivance comprising -a plurality of corrugated plates, means including a rope for loosely connecting an end of each plate to another, the arrangement being such that the corrugations of all the plates extend in the same direction.

3. A traction-lending contrivance comprising a plurality of plates of zig-zag cross section, means for connecting an end of each plate to another in overlapped position, the

corrugations of all of said plates extending in the direction of alinement of said plates, whereby relatively transverse ridges are provided. l

l. A traction-lending contrivance comprising a plurality of corrugated plates having end portions, each provided with an opening, each of said plates being lapped with respect to another whereby such openings register, a rope interlaced through said openings, and means for securing the ends of said rope to the ground.

5. A traction-lending contrivance comprising a member having its under surface fashioned with projections and depressions, and means for securing the same to the of two positions.

Vground a given distance beyond opposite ends thereof. y Y

6; A tractiorrlending Y contrivance comprising a plurality of tie portions arranged in a" row, and a pair of flexible binder poi'- tions connecting the ends of said tie portions respectively, and means for securing one end of the whole to the ground.

7. A traction-lending contrivance comprising a plurality of tie portions arranged in a row, and distinct means flexibly connecting the corresponding ends of said tie portions, the whole presenting a roughened surface in a direction transverse to the plane of such row. l

8. A traction-lending contrivance com prising a pair of plates having perforate end portions, one of said plates being lapped with respect to the other, and a rope interlaced through said openings, the upper surfaces of said plates being fashioned with projections and depressions for theV purpose specified.

9. A traction-lending contrivance com.- prising a pair of rope lengths, anda plurality of interconnecting metal plates, the arrangement being such that the whole is flexible and detachable intoV its several'elements. Y -1 if 10. A traction-lending contrivance comprising a pair of metal plates having ridges above, and means loosely connecting any given pair ofedges of said platesY together whereby to alter the relation of the ridges jof different plates for the purpose specified.

11. A traction-lending contrivance com-V prising a pair of corrugated metal plates, a device connecting any given pair of edges Y of said plates together whereby to alter the relation of the corrugations of different plates, and means associated with said device for securing oneendof the assembledplates to the ground. Y

12. A traction-lending contrivance comprising a pair of similarly corrugated metal plates whereby to have corresponding surfaces conform to each other, and means for attaching said plates to each other in either 13. A traction lending contrivance comprising a plurality of plates for zigzag cross rsection adapted for arrangement in a row upon an inclined portion of roadway, and means loosely connecting proximate edges of said plates whereby thecontrivance may conform to the supporting portion of such roadway. f Y Y f 14. A traction lending Vcontrivance comprising a plurality of corrugated platesV adapted for arrangement yin a row diagonally up an'inclined roadway, the corrugations of adjacent plates forming continuations of eachother, and means loosely connecting proximate edges of said plates 1 whereby opposite longitudinal edgesV of the f prising an elongated contrivance in its entirety may conform to the supporting portion of such roadway.

15. A traction lending contrivance comprising an elongated structure provided with longitudinally extending and parallel grooves and protuberances adapted to be applied diagonally upon an inclined road way.

1G. A tractionlending contrivance comstructure provided above with longitudinally extending and parallel grooves and protuberances adapted to be applied diagonally upon an inclined roadway, the under surface of said structure being fashioned with projecting ridges adapted to enter the soil.

17. A traction-lending contrivance coinprising a plurality of corrugated plates, means loosely connecting said plates, the arrangement being such that the corrugations of the several plates form together a correspending number of continuous grooves and Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

protuberances, the latter adapted to be applied diagonally up an inclined roadway.

18. A traction-lending contrivance co1nprising a pair of corrugated plates, one plate being partly lapped relative tothe other plate to form a ridge, and a device flexibly connecting said plates whereby the contrivance as a whole may conform to the supporting vportion of the roadway.

19. A traction-lending contrivance comprising a plurality of plates, the latter being of zig-zag cross section and adapted to be superposed compactly together, and detachable means for flexibly connecting said plates in a row, adjacent plates being overlapped.

Signed by me, this iifth day of September, 1914.

CHESTER R. WILLIAMS.

Attested by- TnHo E. Moon, MARIE WAGNER.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patente,

Washington, D. C. 

